From School Library Journal:
(Preschool-Grade 2)
Parr preaches the message of self-acceptance and tolerance of others. Readers are encouraged to accept differences in physical characteristics, abilities, and family situations. "It's okay to be adopted." "It's okay to wear glasses." "It's okay to have a different nose" and "It's okay to come in last [in a race]." Some differences are of a less serious nature. "It's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub," and "It's okay to have a pet worm." The accompanying illustrations feature both animals and children. "It's okay to need some help" shows a girl with a seeing-eye dog. The illustration for "It's okay to be a different color" shows a black-and-white zebra with one whose stripes are multicolored. The pictures are as simple as the message. A childlike mood is established with crudely drawn figures outlined with thick black lines and colored with solid, flat, bright colors. The text is printed in a font that mimics hand printing. The simplicity of presentation masks some of the difficult and complex issues connected with acceptance that children face. However, assurances that differences are okay do not tell children how to deal with being teased or excluded because of differences, and there are no suggestions for adapting play to include those with disabilities. However, the book could serve as a vehicle for beginning a discussion on mutual respect.
---Adele Greenlee,
Bethel College, St. Paul, MN
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.  

From Children's Literature:
Offbeat, punchy, funny, quirky. These are some of the words that come to mind about this book. It is‹different, and definitely okay. Anybody who is aware of some aspect of themselves that they don't like, which is probably everybody, will have fun reading it. Bold bright colors accompany simple, direct, one-line pages. The author assures us that it's okay to have big ears, it's okay to need help, and it's okay to wear glasses. While the pictures are adorable, the messages are important. A particularly cute and scared looking pair of fish, for example, stare wide-eyed at a hook hanging down between them in the water and the caption reads, "It's o.k. to say NO to bad things." Other pages are just plain loopy. Little children will be falling off their chairs and rolling on the floor, laughing at the silliness. At other times, they will be comforted when something they've been worried about is put into words and made all right. All in all, this is one sweet book. Todd signs off his book with "Love, Todd." After reading it, kids will probably feel the same way about him, too.
2001, Little Brown, $14.95. Ages 2 to 5. Reviewer: Nancy Partridge

From Publishers Weekly:
Parr (The Okay Book) combines rainbow colors, simple drawings and reassuring statements in this optimistic book. His repetitive captions offer variations on the title and appear in a typeface that looks handcrafted and personalized. A fuschia elephant stands against a zingy blue background ("It's okay to have a different nose") and a lone green turtle crosses a finish line ("It's okay to come in last"). A girl blushes at the toilet paper stuck to her shoe ("It's okay to be embarrassed") and a lion says "Grr," "ROAR" and "purrr" ("It's okay to talk about your feelings"). Parr cautiously calls attention to superficial distinctions. By picturing a smiling girl with a guide dog ("It's okay to need some help"), he comments on disability and he accounts for race by posing a multicolored zebra with a black-and-white one. An illustration of two women ("It's okay to have different Moms") and two men ("It's okay to have different Dads") handles diverse families sensitively this could cover either same-sex families or stepfamilies and also on the opposite page, a kangaroo with a dog in its pouch ("It's okay to be adopted"). He wisely doesn't zero in on specifics, which would force him to establish what's "normal." Instead, he focuses on acceptance and individuality and encourages readers to do the same.
All ages. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.  

From Kirkus Reviews:
Parr (Big and Little) teaches an important social lesson that all children need early in their development. Differences are observed and encouraged in this wonderful celebration of the vast distinctions that make each of us individuals. Every page displays a person or animal with characteristics or feelings that are unique, making each one extra special. The describing text for each drawing begins with, "It's okay to . . ." and can act as a springboard for an exercise in which children think of and name additional differences. Solid primary colors create the background, and kid-friendly hand drawings help children relate on their own level. Of course, the exaggeration of some of the drawings is just plain fun. The theme encourages acceptance of oneself and others, and boosts self-esteem.
(Picture book. 3-5)

The Barnes & Noble Review:
Acclaimed author/artist Todd Parr -- whose previous children's books deliver "feel-good" messages about believing in yourself and being different -- now takes a turn at celebrating mothers. Dedicated to "all the different kinds of moms who have worked so hard to make life a little easier with their unconditional love and support," The Mommy Book is a colorful, quirky, kid-friendly tribute to mommies everywhere.

Employing Parr's trademark bright colors, bold lines, zany characters, and funky, freewheeling style, each page of this playful picture book describes a mom. From "Some mommies drive minivans" and "Some mommies drive motorcycles" to "Some mommies work at home" and "Some mommies work in big buildings," all kinds of smiling moms are depicted here. There are casual moms and conservative moms, outdoorsy moms and cosmopolitan moms...but they all have one thing in common: They all love to hug and kiss and care for their kids. And as Parr declares on the last page, "All mommies want you to be who you are!"

Both a celebration of individuality and a testament to the loving nature and importance of moms, The Mommy Book will make both kids and parents smile. And as an extra bonus, this book comes packaged with a whimsical greeting card for kids to send to their moms to say, "I love you." With The Mommy Book, the rewards of motherhood never end!
---Jamie Levine

From Kirkus Reviews:
The Byron Barton of feelings and relationships offers a gallery of Dads at work and play, all drawn with thick lines and intense, contrasting colors against monochromatic backgrounds. The message is one of unity in diversity: "Some daddies wear suits…. Some daddies wear two different socks…. Some daddies work at home…. Some daddies work far away…. All daddies like to watch you sleep." A simultaneously published companion volume, The Mommy Book (ISBN: 0316608270) runs along the same track, though with a text that only partially overlaps. With but one exception in The Mommy Book, the figures are all smiles, which makes for a certain monotony, but Parr frees his mommies and daddies from conventional gender roles, while depicting them and their children with orange, yellow, purple, and green faces, sometimes within the same family. Recent extoddlers will be drawn to these sunny, colorful consciousnessraisers.
(Picture book.)  

Amazon.com:
For anyone who ever doubted it, Todd Parr is here to tell us all that it's okay to be different. With his signature artistic style, featuring brightly colored, childlike figures outlined in heavy black, Parr shows readers over and over that just about anything goes. From the sensitive ("It's okay to be adopted"--the accompanying illustration shows a kangaroo with a puppy in her pouch) to the downright silly ("It's okay to eat macaroni and cheese in the bathtub"), kids of every shape, size, color, family makeup, and background will feel included in this gentle, witty book. In this simple, playful celebration of diversity, Parr doesn't need to hammer readers over the head with his message.

From Publishers Weekly:
Parr (The Okay Book) combines rainbow colors, simple drawings and reassuring statements in this optimistic book. His repetitive captions offer variations on the title and appear in a typeface that looks handcrafted and personalized. A fuschia elephant stands against a zingy blue background ("It's okay to have a different nose") and a lone green turtle crosses a finish line ("It's okay to come in last"). A girl blushes at the toilet paper stuck to her shoe ("It's okay to be embarrassed") and a lion says "Grr," "ROAR" and "purrr" ("It's okay to talk about your feelings"). Parr cautiously calls attention to superficial distinctions. By picturing a smiling girl with a guide dog ("It's okay to need some help"), he comments on disability and he accounts for race by posing a multicolored zebra with a black-and-white one. An illustration of two women ("It's okay to have different Moms") and two men ("It's okay to have different Dads") handles diverse families sensitively this could cover either same-sex families or stepfamilies and also on the opposite page, a kangaroo with a dog in its pouch ("It's okay to be adopted"). He wisely doesn't zero in on specifics, which would force him to establish what's "normal." Instead, he focuses on acceptance and individuality and encourages readers to do the same.

All ages. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Todd's first 4 books have been chosen as
Child Magazine's BEST OF 1999

THIS IS MY HAIR received an Honors Award from the 1999 National Publication Awards (sponsored by L.A. Parent Magazine)

"Best friends will let you jump on their bed no matter how big you are." So begins this little gem, THE BEST FRIENDS BOOK, written and illustrated by Todd Parr. A caring gift to share with your best friend. "
---The Bridge, Summer 2000

"Todd Parr brings us a pair of little books that are bright and simple, ZOO DO'S AND DON'TS and THE BEST FRIENDS BOOK. In FRIENDS, we find that friends stand by you no matter what. Even if you move a million miles away."
---The Vidette Times, Summer 2000

"It's rare that a children's author appeals to adults, but when it happens, it's usually magic; Dr.Seuss, Shel Silverstein... Well, I've found another to add to the list: Todd Parr."
---Kansas City Star, Spring 2000

"Parr, (THIS IS MY HAIR, 1999, etc.) follows his first funny behavior bibles with (THE BEST FRIENDS BOOK), this truly witty book on friendship... with rules that are of importance to children, and advice they love to read"
---Kirkus Reviews, January 2000

"Young ones and their folks will appreciate Parr's simplistic illustrations and humorous captions."
---Kokomo, IN Tribune, January 2000

"Parr's humorous illustrations in eye-popping colors will have youngsters shrieking with laughter."
---Kansas City Star, Summer 1999

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD, THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BAD "Facing images contrast the good and bad stuff of the world according to Parr. The sillier the paint-box-bright pairings, the better they work."
--- Parenting, Summer 1999

DO'S AND DON'TS; THIS IS MY HAIR; THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD/THINGS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BAD; THE OKAY BOOK. "The imaginative, almost child-like drawn pages will entertain readers with their simple yet thoughtful sentiments."
---Winston-Salem Journal, Spring 1999